Shadow Slave Cinema (reaction fanfic)-Chapter 20: Shadow’s Horde

[Sunny's Marvelous Memory Museum]

The words on the plate seemed to have an eerie glow that tempted them. They kept reassuring themselves to learn from ignorance, but maybe it was in human nature to subside the risk presented.

How could they not?

The room was clearly related and dedicated to the memories he had collected throughout his life. Whether one was dependent or lenient to the use of them as an Awakened, there was a unified fleeting sense of honest excitement when one acquired their first.

'Oh! I never thought of that, how cool!'

'Wow! This blade looks awesome!'

'How convenient, now I don't need to worry about that anymore'

More importantly, these were memories from Sunny, someone they had seen accomplish and supersede the impossible, thus their minds could only prosper at what trinkets and relics of wonder were in his possession.

Rain especially, who was practically frothing at the mouth, her hands jittery with impatience. She was always nagging her brother for a memory, anything would be fine no matter what rank or significance they had. And now, the candy store lay bare before her, with no parent to deny her desire.

As if hearing her desire, the door made an audible click, that caused her lips to curl.

'Let's see what you've been holding out on me now!'

Kai raised his hand to say something again, but Rain barrelled past him, knocking the breath out of his lungs, blurring past the distraught Effie and quickly opening the door.

Cassie took a step forward in concern, "Rain! Wai-"

But she had already turned the handle and passed through the door, pausing, as she turned around to face the dumbfound crowd, a sheepish grin on her face.

"Like Mr. Cor said, this place hasn't threatened our lives, so what's wrong with honest curiosity?"

Everyone glanced at Saint Cor, who held a flat expression. But in his eyes there was a strange twinkle, a small satisfaction that his words had reached some. He coughed, looking around.

"I don't see her turning into some Nightmare creature..."

The other Saints stared at him, like a dumbfounded elder sibling watching their younger get away with something in front of their parents. But they didn't quite know how to respond, and admittedly, they were a bit hesitant to voice their disapproval to her despite not even being Awakened.

Her brother, after-all, was the lottery ticket growing in value which they had to act quick to claim.

What better way to win his favor, than making a good impression with his sister who he dearly loved?

Gazes bounced around, as some shrugged and nodded in silence.

'They were also quite anxious to see what lies behind the door...'

Rain didn't need another second, as she beamed, her figure disappearing into the room. The other slowly moved, following behind her.

Only Effie was left behind, still kneeling before the door, a look of pure betrayal and grievance on her face. Begrudgingly, she lifted herself off the floor and sulked through the door, grumbles sounding from her mouth:

"Bastards....how dare you betray the Sunphis Lounge...."

******

Rain moved ahead, as the others slowly made their way into the room, marvelling at the sigh of it all.

The room was quite atypical as the others they had seen. The usual endless ceiling, velvet red curtains for walls and an aesthetic mosaic of a checkered black and white pattern on the marble floor.

Except this room had one stark feature in comparison.

It was massive!

It stretched far and wide, pathways snaking from back to front. All around them on roman like stone pedestals, there were unique memories of all types in glass boxes.

Honestly, it looked typical of a normal museum, except that it carried a magical energy in the air, one that left everyone enthralled and intrigued at what they would learn and see.

"Memories...memories...so many damn memories!" she squealed.

This was something she had longed for, memories of all forms and shapes, a magical concept that she dreamed and desired at gaining when awakening.

Weapons of all sorts, armours of different caliber, trinkets of mysteries, ancient relics and....rocks?

She frowned, spotting a case with an....ordinary, looking rock in the distance.

"You've killed dead gods, survived for unfathomable horrors, learned deadly secrets...and yet you have a rock as a prized memory?"

Quickening her pace, she arrived before the display, her confusion only growing.

It was indeed.....an ordinary rock.

"What's so special about a damn rock...."

She tilted her head, looking at the plated description below the box. Thankfully, it was not another one of the pretentious poems that the Cinema seemed to strangely love, instead just a curt paragraph.

[A humble origin, but a legendary journey. This Ordinary Rock was obtained when the -Unknown- was on the verge of losing all hope. Strange, how something so ordinary can inspire and spur someone who can only be contrasted with the same term. The Rock followed the -Unknown- on his journey, crossing vast worlds, and aiding in battles against many mighty foes! They say the pen is mightier than the sword, but truly, none is more glorious than the Ordinary Rock!]

Rain starred, blinking at the description, unsure what to think.

"The rock...the damn thing has a more adventurous life than me!"

She shook her head in dejection, "No..no! There's surely got to be cooler things! Like...a sword that can cut anything! Or.....an armour that reflects all damage received!"

Whipping around, she scanned the room, but she shuddered as her gaze landed on....a chair, a plain....wooden chair.

Her mouth hung open in disbelief, suddenly finding herself standing before the display case.

"It...it doesn't even look fancy! The chair at my desk is of higher quality!" she breathed in disbelief, her eyes moving down to the description.

[Trapped in a fate none had previously escaped, the -Unknown- was like always, alone. In the depths of his despair and pain, he did what none had ever achieved. Through sheer spite he persisted with conviction, his body broke but his Will remained resolute, discovering an art long forgotten. This pitiful slave in a land of forsaken hope learned the forbidden art of Weaving. Fate refused to loosen its chain on the -Unknown-, so instead he took matters from his own hands and broke the chains that had claimed the lives of so many others. Not long after, the -Unknown- began his journey, this divine Wooden Chair marks the beginning and both the end.]

Rain could only stare at the description.

"...."

In her mind, the many occurrences when he had nonchalantly pulled out the chair like it meant nothing. And more importantly....the amount of times she had sat on it without a care.

She traced her fingers along the glass, the weight of realization settling in. This wasn't just a chair. It was a symbol of everything he had endured, the struggles he had faced, the moment he had chosen to live despite the world seemingly condemning him to die.

And yet... he had never made a fuss about it. Never treated it like some sacred relic. To him, it was just a chair—because to him, she and the others meant more than any memory in this place.

A weak smile tugged at her lips, a warmth spreading through her chest.

"Who cares about matching or living up to his feats...? Being cherished by him.... that's more valuable than anything in this room."

She took a step back, casting one last, grateful look at the rock and the chair. Two seemingly ordinary things that had stood by him when no one else had.

Whispering a quiet word of thanks, she turned away, the whimsical smile still on her face, her heart lighter than before. Despite having learned and realized so much information that tore her being apart.

It was enough...

But that didn't quell her itching desire to see memories at the level of Gods!

*****

On another side of the room, Valor had mostly split up into smaller groups. Tyris and Roan, Gilead and Jest, and lastly Saint Helie with the rest. Only Morgan was standing alone as she walked through the room.

Her eyes swept over the varying memories, sometimes with disappointment, sometimes with surprise.

She clicked her tongue, "Our smiths can replicate and do better than most of the stuff here..."

Her pace remained even, until she suddenly stopped before one display case.

The scrutiny in her eyes disappeared, now replaced by a curiosity....

It was a bow, a Warbow...her Warbow.

She remained still, sweeping every detail of the weapon, making sure it was in fact the same tool and not some cheap copy. But no matter how much she wanted to deny it, this was indeed her bow.

It had always been a nagging mystery on what had happened to it, and now the answer seemed to lie before her.

Her face became complicated, "Did the mongrel steal it from me? No...it was a prized creation and gift, even if he somehow did, Valor would have without a doubt hunted him down and executed him for such a petty act"

More importantly, she couldn't imagine herself losing it, strangely it seemed only possible that she would have given it to him.

Well...

He was cute, but not that cute.

Her gaze lowered, landing on the description below.

[This mighty Warbow belonged to the champion of Valor. In a grand event, the -Unknown- rose from the shadows, breaking everyone who thought themselves a warrior. Despite his origin, only someone of similar conviction seemed worthy of matching such a honed blade. Thus, the champion who had everything clashed with the one who had nothing. All actions are just when spoken with a blade, and the champion of Valor felt so. She smiled, acknowledging his conviction, giving him something she held most dear to her heart. As he had touched hers.]

Silently, she read the statement over and over again, the strange feeling in her heart only growing.

The thought of snatching Sunny away to coerce him into an allegiance with Valor had been a fleeting and somewhat humorous thought.

But now....

Why did the description strangely imply that she held possible feelings in the past?

Of course, she wasn't vehemently against the prospect of a relationship, it was just that she had chased the idea away for a long while. After all, such a thing wouldn't have been possible with anyone other than a Saint or one with an Aspect of self-fortification nature.

But now the place was teasing her about her desire having already been answered but forgotten?

Her confusion only grew each time she read the statement, the ambiguity seemingly compound.

"....the prospect at the nature of his durable skin and bones was merely an honest interest"

"...."

"Admittingly he's also an acknowledgeable warrior."

She paused, an unusual smile finding itself on her lips, causing Effie and Nephis to strangely shiver across the room.

"The idea isn't terrible..." she hummed, her tone aloof with amusement

This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

She continued her pace, examining the weapons along her path with appropriate praise and criticism. As she did, both Jest and Mordret stared at her in perplexion, with varying thoughts.

As now, the usual steely Morgan of Valor...

Was humming leisurely with a smile on her face.

*****

In a separate section of the room, two figures clad in red garments stood before a case containing a strange set of armour.

The description read:

[In a shattered world, the -Unknown- burned with a desire in search of power. Fate seemed to answer his desire too honestly, as the -Unknown- crossed paths with one had become lost in what he yearned for. The dead are meant to tell no tales, but the same cannot be said for grudges. Through the reflections of the past, the -Unknown- was condemned and tormented by the one he had freed from such a Fate. Shadows are meant to be docile beings, but the same cannot be said for such a treacherous shadow. Thus, he ended their life, not once, but twice.]

Noctis and Solvanne stared at the description, contrasting looks of disdain and amusement.

"Well it seems the outcome was quite clear" Noctis coughed, covering his stupid smile

Solvanne only stared at the description, her lips continuing to twitch as her eyes scathed with resent, before she breathed a deep sigh.

"Naturally, this was already implied during a previous viewing option, [Shadow never forget]" she muttered

Noctis's shoulders slightly quivered as Solvanne's gaze dangerously narrowed. After a moment—his demeanour shifted, as he leaned forward to look at the description, before shaking his head in dejection.

"Still, it's quite disheartening..." he sighed, glancing at Solvanne with a mischievous look, "I'm slightly hurt that the place has ceased with the splendid poetry"

Solvanne betrayed no reaction, not even turning to face him, "It's not funny the third time..." she grumbled.

An unusual look of disbelief formed on his face as he jabbed his finger, "You! What would you know about about comedy? You war crazed barbarian!"

Solvanne remained unphased, possibly even delighted by what should have been an insult to a normal person.

Noctis huffed, crossing his arms, "Really! What happened to having humor in this time...no, all times!"

"Humor is only enamoured by idiots who meet such a mundane end.." she cooed

"I beg to differ!" Noctis retorted, a rare tone of seriousness in his voice, "From what I've seen, only the most exalted beings find solace in humor, such as the likes of Sunny and Eurys!" he proudly remarked.

He paused, considering something before continuing,

"There's also that fellow Mordret, but he's quite eerie..."

"...."

"I wonder if Sunny took after me when we supposedly met in his Second Nightmare..." he mumbled, stroking his chin.

Solvanne scoffed, "On the contrary, I think he would love nothing more than to beat you to a pulp based on his nature, I wouldn't be surprised if your dagger is among his collection of trophies"

Noctis's eyes widened, his voice sounding out, "No such thing! We were surely the best of companions!"

"You have no companions...only victims" Solvanne muttered

Noctis's volume became dangerous, "AGAIN! Says the war crazed barbarian! If anything....your dagger is in one of these displays!"

Solvanne shuddered, as the intensity began to leave Noctis's face, replaced by a growing smug look of victory to her reaction. However, Solvanne only shrugged, a satisfied smile on her beautiful face.

"That only means I met a glorious end" she whispered, causing Noctis to scowl in defeat

Solvanne smirked, an unusually honest look on her face, before turning and moving along the isle, Noctis quickly trailing behind her, his face still laced with offense.

"Preposterous! Why would she say such a thing, I know we were the best of friends!"

His grin slightly faltered, as he quickly glanced around, trying to spot a noticeably dark onyx dagger among the displays.

"Yes....I can feel it....we were the best of companions....."

*******

Towards the back, Daeron was standing alone before a display, his face somber.

Inside, was a recognizable band of coiling steel, resembling a serpent devouring itself. The crown of Storm, his crown...Sunny's crown. He had already long come to accept the reality of what had transpired for it to end up in his possession, and it admittedly put him at ease.

Even now, it was still being preserved and cherished after what had been lost.

His hand rose to slightly caresses his forehead where it would usually rest, his gaze lowering down to the description,

[In a dreadful tomb, where both time and truth live in lies, a lone shadow desired to no longer hide. In pursuit, he met with one who had lost himself in a similar journey, a king, a noble of fallen grace. A slave and a king, their destruction and rage indiscriminate as they battled. Alas, the king fell, but his dignity did not. As the shadow somberly took his crown and his lineage, promising to right what he had failed to do and wronged.]

The final testament clawed at his being as he stared at it.

It shouldn't be his fault.

It wasn't his fault

So...why did he helplessly feel like it was?

He slowly brought his hands up to rub his cheeks, his hands a little moist when he pulled them away, a silent whisper escaping his lips.

"I-I'm sorry I failed you...."

His attention shifted when noticing approaching footsteps, straightening his posture and turning to face Windflower who now stood beside him.

"It is indeed your crown..." she mumbled

"Slightly tarnished and old, but yes. It is mine.." Daeron chuckled, before sighing, "This Nightmare Spell is quite something in the future, making all these memories for its carriers."

Windflower nodded eagerly, "Do tell! All the normal work and effort put into making them, and they get so many just by killing creatures!"

Daeron smiled, "Anything related to you?"

"..." Windflower paused, her eyes slightly dropping, causing Daeron's face to sag in regret of asking

"Ah..yes. There is one I found" she mumbled, leading her father to another case not too far away.

Inside was a delicate flower, an Azure lily with iridescent colors and a pulsing glow. It wasn't something of notable recognition, but it didn't take much thought to associate it with someone in the room. They stood before it, both looking at the description.

[In a tower trapped in time, a damsel waited in distress. Hoping that someone would arrive to end her harrowing predicament. Her cries were answered, but not by a valiant knight, instead by someone quite the opposite in nature. Through blood and sweat, the -Unknown- battled against time and fulfilled the princesses desire, completing her final wish and snuffing out her pitiful existence. He shattered her dreams with effortful grace, at last, she finally found peace in time's embrace.]

Windflower coughed in embarrassment, "I-I know, this place has quite a way with its descriptions"

Daeron silently stared at the description.

"It describes him having killed you.." he muttered, his tone deep and slightly hostile. Windflower's eyes widened in slight panic as her lips curled into an awkward smile.

"Based on the information given, it was my request for him to put an end to my life, although I don't know the circumstances"

Daeron's face slightly relaxed as he looked at the description and then back at her again, his brows raising in amusement,

"...a damsel waited in distress. Hoping that someone would arrive to end her harrowing predicament. Her cries were answered, but not by a valiant knight, instead by someone quite the opposite in nature?" he mused, slightly tilting his head

Windflowers eyes widened, a slight blush creeping on her cheeks.

"N-No such thing!" she exclaimed without grace, her arms waving in emphasis.

After a moment she calmed slightly, her tone now slightly lower.

"Besides...." she whispered, "....he killed you"

Daeron continued to stare at her, a glimmer of satisfaction and reassurance in his eyes as he glanced off not too far away. A good distance away, Saint Tyris and Roan could be seen interrogating Tele in front of a display with a peculiar set of armor adorned with white feathers.

Their voices didn't reach them, but reading Telle's panicked and slightly red face, and Tyris and Roan's looks of concern....

It wasn't too hard to figure out what they were reprimanding her for.

He looked back at Windflower, her face slightly pouting as she crossed her arms. A warm smile formed on his face.

"Good"

******

Around the middle of the room, Jet was pacing around, pausing at some displays and gliding past others.

"Quite an arsenal..." she whistled, stretching her arms above her head.

As she lowered them, she caught notice of the lovebirds Kim and Luster standing before a particularly large display, their attention completely enthralled. She meandered over, quietly stopping behind them.

"Found something interesting?" she echoed, causing both of them to jump, spinning around and instinctively saluting her.

"N-Nothing of particular interest Commander Jet, mam!" Luster barked without a second thought.

Jet smirked tapping them on the shoulders, "Trick question, everything in here is interesting"

Kim and Luster slightly relaxed at the remark, their shoulders lowering, as jet glanced at the display over their shoulders, looking back at them.

"Although you did lie, something clearly has caught your eye" she murmured causing Luster to stiffen in panic.

Jet only rolled her eyes, "Relax, what's the matter with you two?"

Kim and Luster glanced at each other before moving to the side, allowing some space for Jet to step forward and get a good look of what was in the display.

It was a large spear, crudely shaped from the bone of some slain behemoth of an abomination. There were no unique features, attachments or any craftsmanship temperament of any sort. If it wasn't in display, it could easily be mistaken for an outdoor weapon that a child had found and fashioned.

Albeit very sharp and deadly.

Jet scoffed, looking at the two, "Looks like a giant toothpick to me"

Kim and Luster glanced at each other, before Kim gulped and smiled, "Ah, no...it's the description which is interesting"

Jet spared no second as she leaned forward, her eyes widening with each word she read on the plaque before her.

[Forsaken and left for dead, cries of despair and fright rang out among a desolate icy plain. The snow had chased away the warmth which they yearned, but that was possibly a crucial mistake. As it attracted a shadow who had long forgotten such fleeting grace. He rallied and led them forward, carving a path of hope through blood and fury. Even mountains seemed to fear his wrath, rising to crush him in defiance. But a cockroach is hard to kill—and a Shadow, even more so. Thus, the -Unknown- endured. He forged a spear, one born from his agony, a weapon that returned the earth-shattering pain he had suffered tenfold. And with a single mighty swing, the mountain crumbled before him.]

Jet's eyes shifted as she grimaced.

"Goliath...."

She turned to Kim and Luster, a remorseful look on her face, "I assume you also surmised this is pertaining to him killing Goliath"

Kim and Luster solemnly nodded,

Jet sighed, "Ahhh...it kept nagging at me that I felt I knew him. Seems we were on the same boat in Antarctica...."

"Still..." she murmured, rubbing her chin, "He's definitely younger than me, but it's impossible to tell whether he was a Master or a fresh awakened at the time....no way he was higher ranked than me"

Kim and Luster shifted, glancing at each other before Kim raised her voice, "Yes...that's also what we surmised, but we also think.....he was our captain" she whispered.

Jet's face became gloomy as Luster nodded and continued, "We always found it strange that we couldn't piece together or remember who they were, but ever since we arrived here....the answer has become increasing clear"

"The Devil of Antarctica...." Jet mumbled

Kim sniffled, wiping away forming tears, "T-The last we can recall was evacuating as the rest went to....to...to fight the Winter Beast"

At the final remark both their eyes widened as they looked at Jet for answers, but sadly she was painfully just as ambiguous as they were. But one thing was now clear...

He had been there....

In that harrowing march of doom, where all of their hopeful soldiers fell...

He had been there all along.

Jet lowered her head. She had always been perplexed by how she had survived, well, survived was a peculiar word for her. Even if she was frozen solid, she would still be alive. But her body would be a wreck and due to the nature of her flaw, she would most logically have died from being incapable of hunting something to replenish her core.

'Dammit....was he even there, keeping me alive on my last breath?'

Luster gulped nervously, "S-So....do you think it's him? Do you think he's what caused it to disappear?"

Jet glanced up at him, before coughing, "I'm not a Seer from what I can remember, how would I know?"

Her words caused an immediate comic-like reaction in Kim's eyes.

"But...." she continued, "If anyone can kill that wretched thing, it would definitely be him"

The complexion returned to Kim and Lusters face as warm smiles grew on their lips, slowly nodding in agreement.

"Maybe we'll even get to see it in a viewing" Kim murmured

Jet laughed, "Ha! I wouldn't be surprised if there's already a trophy from the fight somewhere in this place, wanna join me in the search?"

"Well.." her voice dronned as she looked around, "If we can find it among all these garments he has, strange how a supposed commander would have the wardrobe of a flower boy"

She paused, something flashing on her eyes for a brief moment as she lightly smiled.

"Flower boy....what a strange word...."

She shook her head, beckoning in a direction with a nod as she began to move. Kim and Luster held each other's hands as they nodded, hopeful smiles on their faces as they marched behind her.

Jet's expression softened as she walked ahead, a quiet sense of gratitude curling on her lips. Her nose twitched as she brought her arm up to wipe her face, surprised to find that a tear had fallen down.

'Ah, dammit' 

She silently cursed, glad that she had taken the lead, not allowing her companions and soldiers to see her in such a rare emotional state.

"I bet he gave it hell...." she whispered.

********

At the front of the room, Nephis was still standing alone, not having moved since she entered.

Silently she stared, her gaze sweeping over the numerous memories displayed before her.

Of course, it was not nearly as grand as the arsenal she had built up, both in her time trapped in the dream realm, nor during the explosion in Twilight. She had received so many memories in that battle, that she had yet to still properly sort them out and keep the valuable ones and pawn off the lesser needed.

But in here....

Everything was a giant story.

Every memory, whether flashy, tall, sharp or ancient, held a story. Sunny's story, the story they had all forgotten.

The story she had forgotten.

Thus, why she had been rooted as soon as the sight met her eyes. Momentarily, various objects would cause flashes of images or painful headaches, while others sparked feelings of joy, amusement, pain and remorse.

A life which she was supposed to know.

A life she had forgotten.

She silently stared, wondering what each one meant, trying to imagine scenarios of how he had acquired them. What harrowing battles he had fought, what secrets he had unraveled while discovering them

How many involved her?

A long sigh escaped her lips as she began to move towards Cassie's figure in the distance, observing the others as she did so.

Rain was gawking at some flashy armour towards the end, a look of honest excitement on her face which put Nephis at ease. Not too far away from her, the Blood Sisters were spaced around various displays containing garments. Strangely, Effie was among them, even more strangely conversing with Beastmaster about something. The sight of it brought an uneasy chill down her spine.

Down the middle, Valor and the irregulars were quite spread out. Noctis and Solvanne were staring at a display with a strange chest, even more peculiar was how Solvanne was laughing while Noctis kneeled on the floor in despair. Jet had paired up with Kim and Luster, and were looking at a peculiar jade blade. Julius was running up and down the aisle like a madman, seemingly trying to digest all the information before they were kicked out. Daeron and Windflower were standing before a display that held the guiding light. Tyris, Roan and Telle were standing in front of an armour arguing. Morgan was pacing around.....even Mordret was standing before a display that held a peculiar mirror, a look of intrigue on his face.

She paused, an unusual feeling in her chest.

The whole thing felt....surreal.

How people who were meant to be enemies and those that had no connection....were all for once enjoying something in unison. She stared at the alien scene

'Was this....was something like this what she was fighting for?'

She shook her head, quickening her pace to reach Cassie, passing by Kai who looked at a display containing a blood red arrow, a look of concern and confusion on his face. Finally, she arrived next to Cassie.

Silently, she stood alone, staring at a strangely delicate glass bottle.

"How is it?" she voiced, causing Cassie to look at her, slightly tilting her head.

"You want me to say the Sunphis Lounge is better or something?" she mused, causing Neph's shoulder to stiffen.

Cassie giggled, "Kidding, kidding.....not kidding"

Neph opened her mouth to retort, but Cassie smoothly cut her off.

"ANYWAY.....I was just caught up with this particular memory" she slightly paused, "....and more so its description" she whispered.

Neph turned, reading the plaque.

[On this Forgotten Shore, only steel remembers. The -Unknown- learned the truth and sought refuge in oblivion, wishing not to be hurt. But hurt he was, as he once again was all alone. As the shadows called him home, a brief voice called his name. A Seer in the midst of following the path of lies and deceit, turned one last time to honesty. Wishing the -Unknown- well, she gave what she held most precious, as she dreaded losing one who was most precious to her.]

A sniffle snapped Nephis out of her trance as Cassie wiped her nose, her hoarse voice sounding out.

"H-He was there all along....all along with us on the forgotten shore"

Neph could only watch, grief clawing at her chest as they stared in silence at the bottle. They wanted to know the truth, but now they wanted to rid themselves of it.

It was too painful.

Was this how Ariel felt when they constructed the tomb?

'How...how far back do the three of us go....'

"Was..." Neph spoke, unsure of her own words, "...was he in the bright castle? How did we come to meet him?"

Cassie remained silent, her voice now a whisper.

"I don't know, but the Cinema does...."

She turned to Nephis with a look of normally hidden determination, now clear on her face.

"[Walking the path of Fate], it mentioned three....it's the answer to everything"

They held each other's gaze, nodding in silent affirmation. If Sunny was willing to brave the secrets hidden in the tomb of Ariel, and learn the truth the gods had hidden. Then what was stopping them from uncovering their own buried past.

In the distance, people were beginning to crowd near the back around a group of notably centered display cases. Cassie and Nephis exchanged looks,

"Some special memories?" Neph pondered aloud.

Cassie choked, stifling a laugh. "Ah yes, the rightful heir of death and bastard son of fate, who possesses weaving—a sorcery to rival the gods—has a collection of shocking prized memories."

Neph nodded sagely. "Maybe it's what he values the most."

Cassie's face twitched as she struggled not to burst out laughing.

Nephis furrowed her brows. "What?"

Cassie quickly turned away, coughing into her fist. "N-Nothing... I forgot"

"That's not funny" Nephis replied flatly, as Cassie stared at her incredulously.

Nephis tilted her head, confused but deciding not to push it further. "Well, whatever it is, we should go see."

Cassie adjusted her blindfold and nodded, still suppressing her laughter. "Oh, absolutely. This, I have to see."

They made their way down, taking notice of all the memories, some more familiar than others. However a few times they did pause along the way. Those moments included when they passed a display with an insect-like cape that resembled a large wing.

And most importantly...

The Broken Oathe.

Silently they stared at it, as it relay before them, seemingly taunting them.

"....he was the one who sealed the Dark Sea and saved us all..." Cassie whispered.

Nephis didn't reply, the silence spoke for her.

It was supposed to be an object, and its effects were supposed to be sealed along with the other memories in the room. But as soon as their gaze landed on it, something seemed to whisper in the back of their minds.

"Pitiful, even those warriors who were not even Awakened still had the Will and Conviction to remember their goals! Look at you....Transcendants at the peak of humanity, and yet you can't keep an oath as simple as remembering your dear comrade."

They silently moved forward, wishing to get away from the dreadful reminder.

But it seemed that the Broken Oathe was merely the gatekeeper of something far worse....

As they moved forward....they froze, staring at a display just down the line.

A display which contained what they thought was theirs.

A display....

With the Crown of Dawn.

At the sight, Neph's world crumbled.

This memory...the one which had given her hope.

The memory that humanity came to recognize and worship her by.

The same memory which she thought had been the result of her will, and her conviction alone...

Was in reality through Sunny's aid....

Cassie could sense the tone shift in the atmosphere as she hesitantly placed her hand on Neph's shoulder, gingerly shaking it.

"I think....it's better if you have a brief moment alone with it" she whispered.

Nephis could only solemnly nod in agreement, as Cassie attempted to dawn a reassuring smile.

"Uhmm...but don't be too long! I don't know if I'll be able to save a spot for you close to the front!" she awkwardly chortled, before briefly waving and making her way to the rest.

Nephis watched silently as her figure moved away, before turning slowly to read the description.

[Lost at sea, shadow and light refused to surrender. In a world that should not have existed, against odds that defied reason, they alone kept each other alive. As the battle that would decide everything loomed closer, the light confided a fear—her crown, a symbol of her strength, would no longer be enough to match what she was becoming. The -Unknown- listened in silence. Alone, he plunged into the mysteries of weaving, tearing himself apart in search of an answer. Through agony and isolation, through wounds both seen and unseen, he found it. And with his own hands, he rebuilt the crown—sharper, stronger, brighter. A crown not just fit for a ruler. A crown worthy of her. A crown worthy of the one he loved.]

As she read the final sentence, the words became blurry.

Slightly panicked she rubbed her eyes in confusion, only to find...

She was crying...

The immoveable and graceful Changing Star....was shedding tears. She glanced at the back, the crowd having not noticed her state thankfully, as she quickly rubbed her eyes.

She inhaled sharply, a quiet, shaky breath, as she turned her gaze toward the back of the room. The others were still gathered around, unaware of her state. Good. She couldn't afford to be seen like this. Quickly, she wiped her face, trying to suppress the wave of emotion surging through her chest.

This... this wasn't like her.

She wasn't supposed to react like this.

She wasn't supposed to have feelings like this.

Nephis swallowed hard and placed a hand against the glass. Her fingers traced the delicate surface, following the contours of the crown behind it, as if trying to convince herself it was real. But the more she stared, the more the weight of the truth bore down on her.

This was never just her story.

It had never been hers alone.

For so long, she had carried the burden of leadership, of expectation, of power. She had fought, endured, and risen above it all—believing her victories were her own, that the legend of the Changing Star was written by her own hand. But now, standing here, staring at the proof before her, she felt something inside her unravel.

Sunny... the one who had always been there, always watching, always walking just a few steps behind her, unseen yet unwavering. She had thought him a shadow. But in truth, wasn't she the one following in his wake?

Nephis clenched her jaw as emotions she had buried for too long surged to the surface. Guilt, gratitude, sorrow, longing—all tangled together in a storm inside her heart. In her pursuit of a future worth fighting for, had she overlooked the very thing that had been keeping her upright all this time?

Her lips parted as if to say something, but no words came.

What could she say?

What was there to say?

She lowered her head, resting her forehead lightly against the glass, her shoulders trembling ever so slightly. The silence pressed in around her, deafening.

Finally, in a voice barely above a whisper, she spoke.

"All along... you were supposed to be a shadow, while I was supposedly the light" A bitter sigh escaped her lips. "And yet... I feel like everything I thought was my own... was merely a shadow of you."

Her reflection in the glass wavered, distorted by the tears she was fighting down.

Hesitantly, she moved away, her hand leaving the glass.

She moved towards the active crowd.

But as she did....something caught her attention.

To her left, by the curtains that usually remained still...

There was a gap.

A small gap that revealed a floor beyond the curtains, the same floor in the room that extended somewhere outside the room. How had nobody noticed it?

She paused, a slight smile of realization on her face.

Glancing at the crowd absorbed in the displays, hesitating, before she silently whispered, "I won't be gone too long....I hope"

The answer was clear.

The cinema wanted to take her somewhere, show her something which it felt the others were not allowed to see, or possibly understand.

Before she realised it, she was already in the room.

Nephis turned around, watching as the curtains shifted back into place, like the gap never existed. Slowly, she looked around, somewhat confused. It....was exactly the same. The checkered floor, the heightless ceiling and the velvet curtains, the lighting slightly more dim.

All except for a faint ligh that pulsed.

From a single glass display case in the middle.

Cautiously, Nephis approached it, her curiosity only growing.

It was a flame....a swirling black flame inside the glass case.

She wanted to question how the glass wasn't melting, but the answer seemed obvious. This entire place was beyond the idea of logic.

There was also a plaque, which Nephis carefully read, holding her breath.

[Divine. Radiant and beautiful, hope incarnate. All-encompassing and loving, the salvation of all. Profane, ugly and dark, despair and rage entwined. The end of all bright, the herald of oblivion. Nothing, beings beyond the plane of good and evil, beyond want, beyond will. They simply were, unbound by existence itself.

And then, there was the -Unknown-. A being who belonged to none.

A being who had seen them all—gods and monsters, salvation and ruin. A being who had learned their secrets, walked their paths, touched their truths. A being who had craved one thing above all else.

To belong.

But the -Unknown- did not exist.

He had no place in the grand designs of divinity, nor in the depths of damnation. Even those who gazed upon him could not remember his face. To the world, he was nothing. To himself, he was nothing, something even the shadows failed to notice.

And so, he nearly gave up.

But he didn't. He survived.

Not because fate deemed it so. He survived simply because they wanted him dead. He survived to spite them all.

He climbed. He fell. He bled. He killed. He screamed. He wept.

The -Unknown- bore witness to horrors beyond reason, to joys he could never keep. He changed, but was always the same. But no matter how much he suffered, no matter how many times the world tried to erase him...

He kept going.

The moment he felt he would for once belong, there was no one there to see it. No one to say his name. No one to remember.

He was back where he started.

Nothing.

And for the first time, true freedom was his. Why did it hurt so much to be free?

Life is but a prelude to death.

And death is merely the shadow of life.

The -Unknown- was neither dead nor alive, so why did he continue to exist?

To spite them all.]

Nephis stood motionless, her eyes locked onto the swirling black flame. It pulsed softly, almost like a heartbeat, casting fleeting shadows against the glass. Her throat felt tight.

This was his story.

Her fingers twitched at her sides.

She had expected pain, grief—perhaps even regret—but not this. Not the sheer, crushing weight that settled in her chest as she read those words over and over again.

She had always believed herself to be alone. Had always carried the burden of her path in silence, believing that no one else could understand it.

And yet... compared to him, she had never truly known solitude.

Her existence had been acknowledged.

Even when she was feared, she was still spoken of. Even when she was hated, she was still seen.

But him?

He was nothing.

Not even the shadows had noticed him. Not even death had claimed him. Forgotten, erased, left to drift in the void between existence and oblivion. And yet... he endured. He chose to endure, long after everything had been stripped from him.

He had every reason to stop. Every reason to let go.

And yet, he held on.

Her lips parted, but no sound came out.

A faint tremor ran through her as the memory of Saint Cor's words surfaced in her mind.

'I can only dread... being forgotten seems like a fate far worse than death.'

She clenched her jaw.

That wasn't what broke him.

It wasn't the silence that shattered him. It wasn't the erasure of his name.

It was the fact that—at the moment he had reached out, at the moment he had tried to hold onto something, someone—there was nothing left to hold.

Right when he had needed it the most, everything was torn from him.

And yet, he still lived.

He still chose to walk forward.

She swallowed, forcing herself to breathe. The flame flickered, dark and steady, and in its reflection, she saw herself—saw her own mask, cracking at the edges.

Her lips trembled.

"How can someone live such an existence?" she whispered.

There was no answer.

Only the sound of her own breathing, only the pulse of the flame.

A second passed. Then another.

And then, the words escaped her before she could stop them—soft, fragile, almost unheard.

"...How is he able to love me after all that?"

Her voice wavered, and she felt her fingers curl into her palms. Slowly, she raised her palm and placed it on the glass, her touch hesitant.

"Why would you tell me all this when you're showing me his story?" she whispered.

As she did, the flame flickered, it's glow growing, flashing the room too quickly for Nephis to react or get into a defensive stance. By the time she realized what had happened and assumed her trained form, the light had already dimmed, as she took in her surroundings.

It was a different room.

Unlike the usual places in the cinema, this one seemed like a ruin. The walls were cracked and dusted marked with strange systematic tiles., while the roof was held together by a myriad of rotting wood and cobwebs. A stylish but old carpet covered the wooden floor. Against the walls, old antique furniture layed a strewn.

Light shone in from a single window, except there was no foliage or visible terrain outside. Instead a glowing all encompassing light that shone through the cracks.

Nephis strained her eyes, noticing patterns, no....scribbles on the walls.

Her fingers ghosted over the carvings on the wall. They were uneven, hurried in some places, precise in others. The further down the wall she looked, the more erratic they became, as if time had worn down not just the stone but the hand that had marked them.

One week. Two weeks. One month. Two months. Four months.

At the very beginning of the tallies, etched with careful precision, was a single rune, a name that had become very familiar to her.

"Sun-less."

Nephis exhaled slowly, her pulse steady but her chest tight.

"This... this is his room?" she murmured. "No... his home?"

The word felt wrong, ill-fitting. A home was something warm, something claimed. This place was neither. It had the weight of a prison, the silence of a grave, the remnants of something that had never truly belonged to the world outside its walls.

And yet, it was lived in.

She took a step forward, then stopped—because she felt it.

A presence.

Her body reacted before her mind did, instincts honed through years of survival tensing her muscles, preparing her for a confrontation. Yet there was no hostility in the air, no killing intent, no lurking danger.

Just... something quiet.

Slowly, she turned.

And there, atop the ancient bed, lay a figure.

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If G3 is allowed to hold me hostage with cliff-hangers in recent chaps, then so am I!

Took some time to make sure emotions hit (I hope they did) (˵ ¬ᴗ¬˵)

And no, it is not what you think....

Don't really know what else to say except I liked writing this chap

Stay cool and drink water I guess

Until next chap (I'm never posting it ) >:)

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